


A Meeting of Two Houses

by Daffodildaisy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Marriage of Convenience, Not England but Not America?, Regency Era, Regency Era work, Seafaring, Some kind of fantasy in between world ok lol, WHOLE S K Y W A L K E R CLAN
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:55:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23432773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daffodildaisy/pseuds/Daffodildaisy
Summary: Ben Solo, a  sea captain ofThe Supremacy, returns home after a tragedy only to find out that the rest of his life has been pledged away to a mysteriousMiss Palpatineto fund his family's trading business.Regency era AU
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 31
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

Captain Ben Solo returned to his family’s country estate in a downpour of rain on horseback.

He received a letter a year ago of an alarming nature which led him to leave his post on The Supremacy to go home for the first time in five years. He left a boy, but as he felt soil underneath his sea legs he felt different.

Ben patted his chest pocket, knowing the piece of parchment - which in time became a token that grounded him -was there, and approached the large door with slow steps. Anxiety overtook him, not knowing exactly what was behind the large wooden door. He clutched his belongings - a single bag with a single parcel within - in the other hand. 

“Master Ben!” Threepio exclaimed in shock and opened the door larger and Ben stepped into the tiled hallway. He could hear a fire crackle and movement in the next room over. “Everyone’s in the drawing room - let me take your coat - everyone will be excited to see you, sir — did you want me to take your bag?”

“Threepio,” Ben acknowledged, his voice dry from exhaustion and disuse. He placed his bag carefully on the ground and took off his overcoat. “I’ll keep the bag for now, thank you.” He said quietly and handed over his coat. He hoped he wasn’t trailing too much water into the hallway or his grandmother would have his head. Threepio gestured to the hallway on the left and Ben walked, feeling his heart beat quickly. 

The scene before him, completely quiet except for the crackle from the large fireplace:

His uncle was on the couch, dressed in black and looking more like a homely priest than a lord of the country, his head on his grandmother’s shoulder (who was dressed in the capitol’s finest silks). Luke had lost all of his hay brown hair and gone salt and pepper. 

His mother, looking stately as ever but grim, had a sherry in one hand and was stroking Chewie (his father’s wolfhound, draped across the entirety of the daybed) with the other. His father was standing by the bar, sniffing whiskey, hair snow white, bent over a bit. 

Ben was struck by how old everyone seemed. He knew he was approaching thirty, which his father always told him was the real start of manhood for late bloomers like Solos, but..

The figure (whose back Ben was facing) in front of the fire’s demeanor had not changed at all. He struck an imposing, intimidating figure, dressed in black corduroy. Age may have shrunk him in height but not in width, but his personality was felt in whatever room he entered.

Then it hit Ben, who was missing.

“Uncle,” Ben croaked and watched everyone face him, the noise. His mother’s face lit up in shock and his uncle straightened up. 

“You’re here,” his mother said and embraced him around the middle. It felt good to finally hug his mother, who was smaller than he had remembered. “What happened to your face?” She murmured in horror and reached up to touch his eye and he batted her hand away.

“I’m sorry for your loss — Aunt Mara Jade was a good woman.” He approached his uncle who stood up to greet him in a manly embrace. Luke was nodding, sad eyed, and patted Ben on the forearm with his single hand. “What about the babe?”

“The baby didn’t survive, Ben,” whispered Padme and patted the seat next to her on the right. Luke held back a noise Ben could only describe as a sob, but he didn’t pursue that further, hoping to give his uncle some sense of privacy. 

Luke took his seat after a moment and faced Ben, as dead pan as he could muster. “You’re the baby, now, Ben.”

Ben snorted. “What?”

Luke stared at him, his sadness turned into something else and Ben suddenly realized why it was his father who wrote for him to come home instead of the usual suspects. His uncle’s demeanor was so changed, a touch of madness and laughter mixing into his face. “I’m not going to get married again — Mara was my only.”

At this, his grandfather turned from the fire. Ben looked up, clutching loosely at the bag he still had. Anakin Skywalker took his velvet chair and looked him straight in the eyes and Ben’s stomach dropped with anxiety in response. He handed over the bag to his grandfather who took it with mild interest. Anakin tapped his eye scar in greeting to Ben who tapped his facial scar in response. “Who got you?”

“Guess,” Ben snorted, and gestured to the bag.

Anakin Skywalker was scarred — the same facial scar that Ben sported— and dismembered, the same way his son was. Anakin was equipped with a false hand when he was out in public, but amongst family he left his false hand with his swords. With one hand he unbagged it and uncovered a human skull.

“Dooku,” Anakin breathed and lifted the skull out of the bag. He heard his grandmother’s sharp intake of breath. “Good man,” he said, beamed at Ben. “He’s taken enough limbs from us, I think,” and he stood up to place the skull on the mantel with the rest of the skulls from his old enemies when he was a captain of the seas. Anakin remained standing and looked down at Ben, one arm helping him lean against the overstuffed armchair. 

“I am sad for Luke, and we all miss Mara, bless that woman — you have to understand, Ben — but I am proud that you’ll be inheriting the Skywalker estate. You’ve always been a man after my own interests. Luke will be teaching you the ropes of being a lord and upon my death and your uncle’s, this will be one of your many estates.”

Ben took a deep breath.

He had always known this was a possibility, but he never wanted it to be a reality.

Inheriting the Solo estate was enough for any single man -- captain of a ship for trade that brought back fruit and spices to the country; upon his father’s death he was set to inherit the fleet and the country home, the stables filled with his father’s thoroughbred horses — he had counted on sharing the burden of being a Skywalker with his potential cousin. Luke and Mara Jade had tried for children as long as he had been alive and before he left his aunt was alive and carrying the Skywalker future.

Han walked over and handed his son a drink — whiskey, four shots — and Ben took a deep drink, his father’s hand on his shoulder. 

Anakin continued on after sparing a glance Han’s way momentarily: “And this is why you’ll be getting married, in a couple of weeks, now that you are here. We can’t risk having the same situation, again.”

Ben spat out his drink on the rug and his father whacked him on the back in an attempt to help. “To WHO?”

“Miss Palpatine,” supplied his grandmother and Ben turned his head so fast he thought it would swivel off his shoulders. He must have made a face, remembering Lord Palpatine’s face and who even was _Miss Palpatine?_ Padme patted Ben’s hand in a loving manner. “She’s a girl from Naboo, you know. Your father could tell you better.”

Han gulped his drink, looking at his son in the eye. He ran his hand through his hair and Ben noticed he was doing the same thing out of nerves because his father had that exact look in his eyes that he knew meant trouble.

“I found Rey — Miss Palpatine — down by the docks a couple of weeks after you left, son. She was a scrawny thing but something about her face looked so familiar to me. She was trying to pass off as a man to get work as a sailor, but we knew she was a woman — I just had this odd feeling.” He looked down, and looking into his glass while he traced the rim of his cup with a crooked finger he continued. “I brought her to Lord Palpatine’s — I thought maybe at least she could get work as a maid, we didn’t need one and we knew Sheev did, but when they met it hit me: she looked exactly like that big portrait of Eve.”

In Ben’s memory he saw himself as a child staring into the portrait of Eve Palpatine while at tea with his grandfather, hanging over the dining room table: a brunette woman with a long, slender neck and large sad eyes. Lord Palpatine had always stated that Eve died tragically young, but Palpatine himself seemed like he was immortal.

“Palpatine knew she was his long lost granddaughter in that instant. Her story of her parents - his son, her father - matched up with everything he knew. So he took her in. She’s the only heir of the Palpatine estate, Ben.”

Ben looked up. 

Anakin nodded. “An ideal match for you, I think, Ben. And I have to admit, I am glad that our houses can join. She’s, hmm, very spirited — “

At this Luke snorted. “After Mara died, Ben, they tried to play matchmaker with me, and have me marry this child. She threw rocks at me from the upper story window until I went away.”

Ben laughed. “She dislikes you? Then I think I like her. When’s the wedding?”

Luke sneered.

Leia rolled her eyes. “She’s nineteen, Luke — I don’t think any teenager really would have wanted to marry a man your age, especially in their first season.” Anakin shot Leia a warning look because it been his idea to make the match. “She keeps throwing rocks whenever she sees Luke, though, it’s kind of funny. She’s smart as a whip.”

“So you all like her.” He leaned back and looked at his family who were all nodding except his uncle. Good enough, he guessed, but he could not picture the exact sort of woman that would be suited to please almost all of his family members. Ben stood up and drained the rest of the whiskey in his cup. 

“I’ll let you know when the dinner party is --- you must be tired, Ben,” Leia murmured. “We should head home, Mama,”

Leia looked to Han who clicked his tongue at Chewie who climbed off the couch. After saying goodbye from his family, he climbed into his parent’s stagecoach. Chewie laid his head across Ben’s lap, and Ben looked directly at his parents. They both grimaced.

“Why are you two okay with this?” Ben felt a small sense of betrayal, but he knew as an only son this was par for the course.

Han sighed. “As Palpatine’s heir, she’s richer than the queen and God —“ Leia smacked him on the arm. 

“Don’t tell me,” Ben said exasperated, “There’s a hole in the haul of the Falcon, again.”

Han leaned back into the coach seat and Ben leaned forward and placed his head in his hands. It was exactly like his father to agree to marry off his son for money to fix his beloved ship.


	2. Chapter 2

Rey paced.

This morning was a disaster by many degrees. 

Her grandfather had called her into his study to inform her that her fiancé had returned from sea and she had screamed loudly enough in frustration that they both heard the maid drop a vase. She ran before Grandpapa Palpy (as he insisted on being called) could explain further.

This threw a wrench in her plan for freedom. Rey knew her grandfather was _off_ — but couldn’t give anyone with any authority any proof. Her grandfather _was_ the highest authority in this county, She supposed she could write to the queen, but knew offhand whatever money Grandpapa had could buy off any foot soldier before she could ask for help.

Rey knew she had to survive. Would survive, because she had survived worse than this. She knew on the outside it looked like she was a woman who had everything, but her estate was only a shiny prison, her wealth a collar and her sole family member — an idea she had longed for desperately, years ago — the warden.

 _Grandpapa_ had put her out to season as soon was socially acceptable — fifteen- and he winced and snarled every time she rejected a suitor. For two whole seasons they both watched men approach and get tossed aside until the day Grandpapa came home with the news that she’d be engaged to a _Captain Ben Solo_ , nephew of the old man she had thrown rocks at, and if she agreed she would inherit the whole of the Palpatine estate without needing to hand any of it over to her husband.

It would also remain true if Grandpapa died. In the wrong state of mind she wished death on both men, Solo a drowning and her grandfather something tragic and unexplainable. Maybe struck by lightning.

Rose finally opened the door and Rey smiled in relief. The two women hugged and Rey stepped inside. 

The cottage was quaint but more than acceptable for the Ticos; Finn, Rose’s husband, was the local priest. Rose had been a ladies’ maid of Rey’s, two weeks after Rey had entered the Palpatine’s household. Rose had recently gotten married and pregnant — the baby named after her sister, Paige. Rey felt that they were on equal footing, through and through and wrote to Rose after she had left her household.

“You look ill, what’s wrong?” Rose said and grasped Rey by the chin. “Tea?”

“I have the worst news. I’ll take tea, thanks,” Rey sighed dramatically and the women entered the kitchen where Rose started up a pot. 

“My husband is in town.” Rey groaned. “Fiancé. He has not drowned at sea after all.”

“Oh no,” Rose snorted. “What was his name, again?”

“Ben Solo.” 

The two women heard a knock in the doorway before they saw Finn, who raised an eyebrow. “What about Ben Solo?”

“Do you know of him?” Rey tried to read his face and only saw a grimace. 

“One of our parishioners told me they saw a great bear of a man carrying a dead body to shore, covered in blood. Scarred face, dressed in black. Matches the description I know of Solo — he’s a monster if the rumors are to be understood as true, as good with a sword as his grandfather, and we all know old man Skywalker is insane. Why do you ask?”

Rose groaned. “It’s Rey’s future husband.” 

Finn did a double take. “That’s the fiancé? Rey, you can’t marry him!”

Rose brought Rey a teacup and she took a big gulp. “I must, if I want my freedom.” She took a deep sigh and looked out the window. “If he’s a dueling sort, he might just get stabbed, I suppose.”

Finn laughed. “Hopefully he doesn’t duel you.”

Rose sat down. “When do you meet with him?”

Rey blinked. “Grandpapa is hosting a ball for the full moon — a week from now. “

“It’s a week to scheme into something better,” Rose stated. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Palpatines do not scheme, we plan carefully, as Grandpapa says.”

—

A week later Ben found himself in an extraordinary garden. Torches had been lit every few feet; flowers were in bloom and the air smelled sweet. The full moon was reflected in the large water fountain. This would almost be considered romantic if he had someone, he thought.

Of course, today was about meeting that someone. 

For two hours they failed to find her, so he stepped outside. He understood previously that he himself wasn’t wanted very much by women; usually they were desperate, either for money or status, not him. Ben did not consider himself a romantic, but if there was ever an opportunity for him to have been married to someone who could more than tolerate him, he would have taken it.

Now that the opportunity was taken from him — to have a real choice in the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with — he only felt mildly resentful. On the other hand, it was a relief. He felt that he wasn’t much to look at and his surly nature prevented him from the ability to convince anyone to make the commitment marriage took would have been hard on whatever remnants of an ego he had.

The full moon was out, and the dinner party and noise was inside. He stepped into the outdoor hallway, planning on going back inside when he saw a figure in the shadows.

Two figures ahead, outlined by light: his grandfather and Lord Palaptine, having a bourbon away from the crowds. They had excused themselves earlier from playing cards in frustration — Palpatine because his heir was nowhere to be found and his grandfather because he was losing spectacularly. 

He approached the shadowy figure as silently as he could and the closer he got the more he realized it was a woman. Petite, brunette, obviously of a higher class based on her black silk dress. Her hair, done up in a bun, decorated with real pearls where the other women wore ribbons or flowers.

“Are you hiding from them?” He whispered and she jumped, but did not turn around.

“Obviously,” she whispered back and groaned and tapped her fingers on the tiled wall. “Excuse me, if you don’t have a horse or boat away from here, you should go.”

Ben felt amused. Tongue as sharp as a knife. “I’ve got a horse to a boat, if you’d like to go, now.”

Rey turned around and he watched her eyes light up with surprise — and recognition. His heart stopped.

They were right, when they described her face to him. “It is you.” She was beautiful in the moonlight. The only real difference between the portrait and the woman before him was her slightly tanner complexion — the freckles dusted on her cheeks. The sad eyes he found to be true to life and he wondered what could have happened to have caused it.

“You’re the monster,” she whispered. Anxiety stretched across his chest and he felt a flash of anger. 

“Yes, I am.” Still amused, but he heard his voice deepen. “What gave it away?” He watched her eye his scar.

“I heard you dragged a body on shore. Are you a pirate?”

“Not a whole body. Some might describe me as that, but I don’t see myself that way. I, generally, can take what I want.”

Her body’s posture softened — he took it as a sign of her self betrayal. For the shield she put up verbally she was vulnerable by giving him so much to read in her eyes. _Interesting._ The anxiety bloomed into something else. Was she attracted to him?

They both turned their heads when they heard the two older men head their way.

“I think now that I’ve caught you,” a deeper murmur escaped him, “I think it’s better for your reputation to give up hiding and head inside, no?”

Rey looked away, to the two lords over and understood exactly what he was implying. She moved to head inside and Ben reached out to grab her wrist.

“Don’t run away, this time.” he murmured. “I feel it too.”

She eyed him warily and he dropped his grip. Feeling her smooth skin against his ungloved hands was maybe the wrong move, because it filled his head so suddenly with how pleasant it was. He counted down the seconds before he could walk after her, inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Rey gathered her courage.

She stood by the fire, away from the crowds that were getting ready for another round of dancing. Drink in hand, she took a swig of wine. When she looked up, her heart felt heavy.

Her grandfather’s demanding stare bore into her. Stood next to him was the familiar Lord Skywalker and — it must be the man she had just met and shouldn’t have, Ben Solo. He was tall, broad and imposing, even next to her grandfather.

Her grandfather crooked a finger and grimaced and she left her post. She drained her glass and placed it on a tray of a server as he passed.

“Rey, there you are, darling,” Palpatine started, which is how she knew she was going to be in deep trouble when everyone left. “You gave us a scare.”

“Dressing took some time, grandpapa,” Rey said quietly and then turned to look up at her future husband.

By firelight, she could determine his features a better. Long, thick black hair. Soft, full lips. An aquiline nose, like Lord Solo, she remembered distantly. Expressive, soft eyes that were taking her in — the realization made her heart flutter. 

“— Lord Skywalker you know, but this is Captain Ben Solo, darling.” _Curtsey._ and Rey curtsied to the men, remembering her manners. “He will be Lord Solo, eventually, and then you will be Lady Solo —”

Grandfather said it sure as rain. She watched Captain Solo bow - elegantly for a man of his stature. 

“Captain,” Rey murmured. “I’m glad we can finally meet.” She had to keep her nerves out because it seemed like he was doing the same. She could play this game, too.

“Miss Palpatine,” he greeted, voice even and deep. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Why did that make a chill run though her? He was just being _friendly_. The elder two men started to have a conversation amongst themselves but were keeping as close as needed for their conversation to be socially appropriate.

“What sort of ship do you have?”

“Wooden.”

Rey snorted which made Captain Solo grin, a little lopsided. She wished she had a drink to hold, she felt her hands getting antsy the more she was around this man.

“Your grandfather told me you are something of a sportswoman.”

“I am,” she said, still looking at features of him, wondering where he was going with his line of questioning. “I love riding horses, and grandfather and I play shuttlecock sometimes.”

“I can picture you with a little pony,” Ben teased. “What’s her name?”

“Not a pony,” she felt herself scrunch up her face. Why was he teasing her already? “He’s a big, beautiful stallion, named Scavenger.” Rey watched Ben smile.

“I have a few stallions, myself. Do you sword fight?” Ben stepped a little closer to her, spoke lower.

“That’s inappropriate for a woman to do,” Rey uttered.

“But I’m not wrong to ask. You do,” he said and very gently took her hand into his and flipped them over to reveal a few nicks on her inner arm, which he rubbed over with his thumb. 

Rey was startled, not knowing when he would have been able to even see that. She felt suddenly nervous, especially because his touch felt so hot.

“I’m not as good as I’d like to be,” she admitted and he nodded. 

“I can teach you, if you’d like, seeing as how we will have time to spend together. I’d rather my wife know how to protect herself anyway —“

“Why is that?”

“Just in case. You never know.”

“Enemies of the estate, Captain?” She glanced down at his hand grazing hers.

“You can count on it.” He murmured again and tapped on his scar —the scar was so similar to Lord Skywalker’s Rey wondered if Solo asked for to be cut that way — and Rey laughed. As they met eyes Rey had the horrible feeling that her plan to annoy him enough to make him go away was flying out the window. 

“The music is going to start up again,” Lord Skywalker stated which brought Rey out of the vortex speaking with Captain Solo. “Why don’t we leave these two to dance, Sheev?”

“You’re right, Anakin,” He took a drink. “The young ones should have fun, and us old folk should retire away..” 

Her grandfather smiled at her in a way that didn’t quite reach his eyes and Captain Solo took her hand to lead her away to the dance floor.

“I’m not great at dancing, either.” Rey said nervously. 

“Dancing is a lot like sword fighting, lesson one. Less intention to kill, of course.”

Rey laughed. “Are you a good dancer, sir?”

Ben pulled a face. “Yes, if the dance is a jig, then I am considered decent.”

Rey grinned. The music was calling for a cotillion, and as Captain Solo took her hands couples around them began to form into the lines.

—

They danced three sets. 

Rey had an absurd amount of fun for spending most of her night with a relative stranger. A stranger she had previously determined she was going to hate. Captain Ben Solo could make her laugh over nothing, and that put her at ease for how awkward she felt around most of the higher class people she was surrounded by at these events.

As families began to leave and they returned to the card tables which were being cleared, her grandfather standing up and taking her by the hands. Lord Skywalker stood, as well.

“Have fun, darling? Good. Anakin and I have decided that your marriage is to be at the end of the season —“ Rey shyly stole a glance at Captain Solo, whose face had switched to something more serious, which made her own countenance fall. “— and I think that will get us plenty of time to get your clothing made by the tailors in town and your living situation squared away —“ 

Rey had stopped listening. Why had the Captain dropped his jovial mood so quickly, at hearing about their impending marriage? Didn’t they just have fun? 

Of course, it had been only a couple of hours of knowing each other. 

Only a couple of hours ago she was determined to avoid him so she could avoid this whole situation.

Realistically, it would only be a handful of meetings before they were married and she felt overwhelmed at how soon that sounded. How _soon_ everything felt. 

Ben returned the glance. A small smile, but not something that put her at ease. He was anxious as well and she now understood completely.

She would have to make the best of the time she had with him to determine exactly what sort of man he would be.

Ben Solo was odd, she decided. But not unlikeable. He could dance and have fun. If he wanted a wife that could wield a sword when other men would view it as scandalous she felt that maybe he wasn’t the sort of man to tuck his wife away in a box.


	4. Chapter 4

Two mornings after the ball Rey was absentmindedly touching her neck with one hand, lost in thought. She felt sweaty with nerves, already, for a mild summer’s day because she suddenly found herself adorned with one of the Skywalker’s heirloom pieces that came this morning— a sapphire the size of a quail’s egg embedded into a simple gold and pearl necklace— to signify the start if their courtship officially.

To her taste exactly, oddly. But so much, too soon.

The other hand was crunching the invitation to tea that afternoon. All the better to fold herself into the Skywalker clan. 

Grandpapa took it with delight - the boy was courting her from afar and formally, which he preferred, and tea was as innocent as could be as there were servants to watch after his granddaughter. Would she prefer the carriage or the barouche? 

“I’ll take the barouche,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster. She felt the tension in the room that her servants were giving off and wanted to escape— it put everyone on eggshells when Grandpapa was happy, she knew — and stood up to pass the time until tea in her library. 

Besides the weight of the sapphire on her throat, she felt the weight of the ghost touch Ben left when he thumbed at her wrist during the ball. She hadn’t been able to shake her impression of him off at all; the day after she had to recount that some of her nerves and opinions must have been swayed by the punch she drank as well as the wine because to her memory she had never been pleased in a man’s company before.

Why would almost-Lord Solo be suddenly an exception? And was it because he was appalling to most, feral in a way, that interested her? And what did that say about her own nature?

Perhaps she read too many gothic novels. That was it, she decided.

—

Ben was swaying standing up.

Or rather, in his memory he was swaying with the sea. The memory of the sea guiding his ship to where it needed to go still made his head swim when he closed his eyes. 

Still getting adjusted to being on land, after all. Nothing to do with the girl that was coming over for tea and sandwiches. 

That girl. His bride.

No nerves about suddenly having to share his life after being a bachelor. 

He was already at his grandparent’s house when his mother prodded at him.

“I can tell that you are nervous,” Leia said warmly. “Maybe the favor you’ll do for me is a favor for you.”

“How?” Ben said, questioningly and watched his mother roll her eyes. 

“Your grandparents don’t have servants that can actually help with the heavier chores you know — “

“Alright, alright,..” Ben mumbled grumpily so his mother wouldn’t lay into him.

—

When Rey arrived she was welcomed by a family servant —Monsieur Artu — into what looked like the main room on the third floor. It was brightly lit because of the windows and decorated tastefully, although somewhat in a masculine style given the paintings of hunters and their dogs and horses on the walls and the dark leather furniture. There was a handsome grand piano-forte dominating a corner, sitting in a pool of light. 

This was nice. Comfortable.

What was also nice was that she was completely surrounded by the women in the family. Women she already knew due to association because of her grandfather.

“Rey,” Padme said warmly and opened her arms to she could grasp hands daintily with her after she bowed. Leia did the same.

“My son will he joining us soon, I think. Not to have you think he’s late, normally he’s very punctual, but he’s been helping around the house.” she said with a smirk and an indication to the window seat. “I’ll have to go get the tea things myself — we do things a bit casually here, I’m afraid.”

“Did you need assistance?” Rey said and looked down into Leia’s brown eyes who shook her head. Still a playful, knowing smile. 

“You can assist me by having a seat and sitting still and keeping my mother company. “ And with that she ushered Rey right onto the window seat. Padme took hers across on the duvet and took up her needlework.

Rey looked outside.

Oh. She felt her eyebrows raise up slightly. Tingling up her arms.

How strange, she thought, that they’d have their son do servant’s work.

Or that Leia would give her any indication at all that she wanted her to see this. Maybe she just wanted to see that he was industrious, and not just a chucklehead.

Whatever the case may be, Rey appreciated the view of her future husband — Ben, shirtless, glistening with sweat, wiping his brow. How absolutely masculine, to see the muscles in his back ripple as he violently took an axe to wood. 

“Did you like your present, dear?” 

“Oh, I —“ Rey spluttered on how to appropriately answer that thought. 

Rey looked away from the window to face Padme who was seemingly purposefully not looking at her — but smirking at her pillow in hand. 

“The necklace, my love. Ben picked it out from my collection, and lovely choice for you, I think —“

She was teasing her!

She felt her face flush. Leia came in with a tray with sandwiches and they started the tea as women chattering about everything and nothing, which Rey was grateful for as an excuse.

Rey snuck glances outside when she could but if she had to be honest it was hard to look away and pay attention to the matter at hand until Ben left his post outside and it was only because (she assumed) he was coming inside.

Here.  
—

Ben arrived an hour after that had started, dressed in a day suit with a deep blue coat that emphasized how broad his shoulders were. When he walked into the room upon announcement he found her, sitting comfortably with his mother and grandmother.

Comfortable until the announcement. Her eyes widened — her skin pink with embarrassment. A beautiful shade, but he wondered what he had done to deserve it.

“I apologize, madame. It seems like time has left me,” Ben said and bowed to the group and his mother patted the chair next to her.  
“Come! Ben, there are still cucumber sandwiches,” Leia offered and Ben sat, feeling awkward and like an intrusion. “We were just talking how lovely the lake is.”

“Alright,” Ben said slowly, feeling out for the trap his mother was laying and looked at Rey who was pointedly looking at the tray of sandwiches and seed cakes and not at him. He felt his ears burn upon recognition. Maybe he had done something wrong, something to offend her? Was the gift not to her taste? He’d have to inquire but was unsure of the best way — 

“I didn’t know you had a lake on the property,” Rey said meekly and looked at him in the eyes for the first time since the night he met her. Ben was immediately mesmerized by the color — the sun really brought out the green in them — and felt stupid because the next thing he said was: “I’d love to show you. “

“Good! That’s settled then. After tea you can show Miss Rey around the property with a nice stroll. I think I’ll take a lovely nap,” Padme said and to Ben’s horror faked a yawn. “My dear, I think I’ll need assistance to the bed, if you wouldn’t mind,” she said to her daughter who stood up to offer an arm.

Ben broke out into a sweat, knowing exactly what this meant. Time alone.

He shoved half a sandwich into his mouth and turned to notice that Rey was watching him eat with mild disgust.

Perhaps this was going well, he thought sarcastically. Or perhaps she'd recognize how horrible he was and run away, terrified.


End file.
